So near, and yet so far

We've heard a great deal about eLearning and its ability to demolish distance and reduce training cost.

This traditional paradigm has seen eLearning in two watertight compartments — technology and content.

However, despite its inherent advantages, eContent has always fallen short compared to classroom training. A deep and evident chasm exists between the interactivity, engrossment and energy possible in classrooms and computer, and web-based training.

CBT and WBT creators have tried to make content as interesting, engrossing and interactive as possible with text, audios, videos, images, designing and overall aesthetics.

Two-way interactive webcasting has tried to match the advantages of classroom interaction. But, this has its own set of issues of faculty independent eLearning, creation of reusable assets, demolishing geographical barrier and reducing cost. Some of the new content paradigms are trying to solve these issues.

Using Chip Power Current generation courses exploits two manifestations of technology: The computer screen for visual effects and the internet to break the delivery barrier.

Chip-based modules have logical power and intelligence in-built — like a trainer. The module negotiates and interacts with the learner as he discovers knowledge.

During a faculty development workshop at IIFT, 53 faculty members from India's premier management institutes experienced chip-based eCourses. The loosely-structured module, like a classroom session, allowed faculty to diverge based upon their needs and understanding.

The invisible hand of a simulated instructor then gradually motivated them to converge on the objective of the module.

Experience Orientation Learning by doing and not learning to do only. This can be a reality in the new eLearning course paradigm. As part of a 'virtual business environment', students apply real-life concepts to get a feel of on-the-job kind of experience.

As the participants in a eCourse prepared by MDI observed, these modules allow decision-making in a risk-free environment where a participant can analyse each decision, relive the past and derive knowledge principles from actual experience.

Here the student is always under the watchful eyes of a 'virtual' mentor or asynchronous 'real' mentor for 'just-in-time' knowledge delivery.

Micro Adaptivity Adaptivity to the last concept bit to create a unique learning context, that's micro-adaptivity. This is not adaptivity to a course, chapter or topic, but to the last bit.

Not adaptivity to create an adaptive sequence, but to create an adaptive learning context in which coherent, interlinked concepts unfold. During an MDP at MDI, Jindal group employees experienced micro adaptive eCourses that create unique learning paths based upon individual needs.

Unlike a pre-test based adaptivity, micro adaptive courses recalibrate learning with each decision or the trainee's progress.

These new content paradigms look at creating deep involvement — emotional and intellectual — in eCourses. eLearning shifts the onus of learning on students. But to make this successful, the course should 'suck-in' a trainee.